The wind howled across Mount Kumotori's peak, carrying with it the scent of pine and ancient stone.
A skinny Karasu-Tengu leaned heavily against his spear near the small shrine, his black wings folded tight against his back. His crow-like features twisted into what might have been a grimace or a yawn—it was difficult to tell. He shifted his weight from one taloned foot to the other, the movement causing his ceremonial armor to clink softly.
"Another day, another absolutely nothing," the skinny Tengu said, his voice carrying the nasal quality typical of his kind. He gestured broadly at the surrounding landscape with one clawed hand. "Tell me again why we're protecting this tiny leyline? Nothing's happened here in over a thousand years."
The other guard, considerably more muscular and standing at rigid attention, turned his head slightly. His armor was better maintained, the leather straps properly tightened, his spear held at the correct angle. "It's our sacred duty as Youkai to protect the leylines that run throughout Japan, Takeshi. You know this."
"Sacred duty," Takeshi mimicked, his voice dripping with sarcasm. He jabbed his spear into the ground and left it standing there. "Kenji, we could be in Kyoto right now. Real action. Real threats. Instead, we're babysitting a shrine that even the local humans have forgotten about."
Kenji's grip tightened on his spear. "Size doesn't matter. Every leyline is connected. If one falls—"
"Yeah, yeah, the whole network weakens. I've heard the lecture." Takeshi stretched his wings, the black feathers catching the afternoon light. "Doesn't make it any less boring."
The shimmer appeared without warning.
Both Tengu snapped to attention, their postures changing instantly. The magical veil surrounding the shrine—normally invisible to the naked eye—rippled like disturbed water, waves of translucent energy cascading across its surface.
"Did you see that?" Takeshi's voice had lost all trace of its previous boredom.
"I saw it." Kenji stepped forward, his eyes scanning the veil carefully. "It's probably nothing. The veil shimmers occasionally. Weather changes, spiritual fluctuations—it happens."
"But not often."
"No. Not often." Kenji paused, then raised his spear. "We should investigate anyway. Protocol."
Both Tengu launched themselves into the air, their powerful wings beating in synchronized rhythm. They rose quickly, circling the shrine in widening spirals, their keen eyes searching for any sign of disturbance.
The sky was clear, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows across the mountain. Below them, the forest stretched out in all directions, an unbroken sea of green broken only by the occasional rocky outcropping.
Takeshi flew higher, his head swiveling as he scanned the horizon. He stopped mid-flap, his body going rigid.
"Kenji," his voice carried across the distance between them, no longer casual or complaining. "Kenji, look. Southwest."
The muscular Tengu banked sharply, following his companion's line of sight. For a moment, there was nothing. Then—
Dark shapes against the sky. Moving fast. Too fast.
"Are those..." Takeshi's voice trailed off.
"Warn the others," Kenji commanded. Takeshi flew down to the shrine at his fastest speed.
Kenji's spear shifted in his grip, his wings beating harder to maintain altitude. The shapes were growing larger now, more distinct. Rows of horns. Leathery wings. Elongated bodies. The distinctive silhouette that every Youkai had heard about from an age long since past.
Dozens of them.
"Hellflyers," Kenji finally finished, his voice flat and hard, readying his spear.
XXX
Toshio POV
I flashed through the sky with runic shunpo, the landscape below blurring into streaks of green and brown. The wind whipped past my face as I pushed more reiryoku into the technique, eager to get home before dinner time.
The trip to that bakery in Honshu had been worth it. Three new recipes were tucked in my inventory, and the old baker had even walked me through making one of them—a traditional dorayaki with a twist involving matcha cream. I could already imagine Kuroka's face when she tasted it. And Koneko... well, getting Koneko to show any emotion beyond mild interest was always a victory.
Cooking had become something I genuinely enjoyed. Not just the act itself, but what it represented—taking care of the people I cared about. Making Akeno her favorite dishes. Experimenting with new chocolate desserts for Kuroka. Even preparing meals for when the ORC came over, which I hoped would be more often from then on.
Speaking of Kuroka...
My mind drifted back to the conversation we'd had 2 weeks ago. After what had happened with Akeno—which Kuroka had apparently watched the entire time in her cat form—she'd cornered me in the kitchen.
"Impressive performance, Toshi-kun," she'd purred, her golden eyes gleaming with amusement and something else I couldn't quite identify. "You certainly know how to satisfy a woman, ~nya."
I could tell I probably blushed at least a little. "You uh... you watched?"
"Of course I did. Had to make sure my investment was worth it." She'd circled me like a predator, her tail swishing behind her. "And I have to say, I'm quite excited to perform with you later down the line."
The memory made my heart race just a little, more than being thousands of feet in the air.
That conversation had come shortly after she'd given me what she'd called a "reward" for orchestrating that night between her and Koneko—getting her sister to hold her, even if Koneko hadn't known who she was holding.
What Kuroka had done with her mouth and breasts had been, unexpected, with how pleasurable it was. My working theory is that she was using some kind of Senjutsu to enhance my physiological responses. But I wasn't analyzing it too much, doing my best to enjoy the moment.
But it was what she'd said afterward that had really thrown me.
I'd asked her, hesitantly, what she thought about multiple partners. I knew it was a touchy subject to women. The question had felt awkward leaving my mouth, but I needed to know. My feelings for Akeno were clear. My complicated situation with Rias was still unresolved. And Kuroka herself was...
"It's normal for powerful mates to have multiple wives, ~nya," she'd said matter-of-factly, as if discussing the weather. "In fact, I'd be concerned if you didn't. Shows ambition. Shows strength."
I had a feeling Akeno would feel similarly, given our previous discussion about Rias. But she was the unknown at this point. In the anime, she had always been jealous when girls made advances on Issei. But then again, Issei was more of a possession to her than anything during those early seasons. I had no idea how their relationship developed later. I did know one thing: I was no possession. So maybe it would be different with her.
Before I could continue my thoughts, I felt a strange blip with my always active energy sense.
I pulled up short mid-air, the sudden stop sending a ripple through my spiritual energy. The fluctuation was... wrong. Not the steady pulse of a leyline, not the hallmark of a stray devil, not the chaotic swirl of combat, but something that felt deliberately corrupted.
I changed direction, angling toward the source. It was coming from Mount Kumotori—one of the peaks in the Okuchichibu range, maybe thirty kilometers west of Kuoh. The energy signature grew more distinct as I approached, and my stomach began to twist with unease.
The scent hit me first.
Blood. A lot of it. Fresh enough that the copper tang cut through the mountain air even at my altitude.
I descended rapidly, my hand already moving to Shinjūka's hilt. The shrine came into view—a small structure with traditional architecture. It was the kind of place that had probably stood for centuries. Except now it was painted in crimson.
Corpses were everywhere.
I touched down at the base of the shrine, my boots squelching in blood-soaked earth. To prevent getting blood all over me, I applied a thin coat of reiryoku to my boots.
Tengu corpses littered the ground, their black wings twisted at unnatural angles, their crow-like features frozen in expressions of terror and agony. Some were missing limbs. Others had been torn completely in half.
"What the hell happened here?" I muttered, drawing Shinjūka fully.
The energy fluctuation was still present, which I thought was coming from around the left corner of the shrine. I moved carefully, stepping over a headless Tengu whose spear lay broken beside him.
Around the corner, I found it.
A creature crouched over a corpse, its ragged leathery wings folded against its back as it fed. The thing had a beast's head with multiple sets of massive curved horns, yellow eyes that glowed with malevolent hunger. Its body was sleek but wrong, muscles bulging in places they shouldn't, skin the color of old bruises.
"Observe," I whispered.
{Demonic Hellflyer
Level: 42
HP: 8,500/8,500
A nameless demon from the lower circles. Bred for slaughter and consumption. Possesses enhanced strength and flight speed. Weak to holy energy and concentrated spiritual attacks. A remnant of an old faction.}
The creature's head snapped up, those yellow eyes locking onto me. Blood dripped from its maw, chunks of Tengu flesh still visible between its teeth.
I didn't give it time to react.
I raised my free hand, channeling reiryoku into the technique I'd been practicing. "Cero."
The crimson beam erupted from my palm, concentrated and precise. I'd learned to control it better since I learned it, to focus the destructive energy rather than let it explode outward. The beam struck the demon square in the head, continuing through its upper torso before dissipating harmlessly against the mountain slope beyond.
The creature's body collapsed, the remains of its head and chest were simply... gone. Cauterized meat and bone were all that remained.
The tengu's body was unrecognizable, if not for the black feathers.
I noticed the energy fluctuation was still there.
I turned my attention to the shrine itself, stepping over the demon's corpse. The wooden steps were slick with blood, and I had to grip the railing to keep from slipping. The shrine's entrance gaped open like a screaming mouth, darkness visible beyond.
I stepped inside.
The smell was much worse here. The odors were confined and concentrated. Blood covered the floor in thick pools, and I had to channel reiryoku into my legs to avoid splashes of blood staining my clothes. My thoughts briefly drifted toward Miyamoto and how he smelled worse, somehow.
I continued to look around. The interior was a nightmare.
Tengu bodies impaled on pikes lined the walls, their wings spread in grotesque parodies of flight. Many had been dismembered, their limbs arranged in deliberate patterns on the floor. Heads stared at me from corners, their eyes stitched open. Their beaks were wired open in silent screams.
And beneath it all, covering every inch of the floor, were magic circles. Demonic symbols I didn't recognize, drawn in what looked like a mixture of blood and something darker. I had a good memory, and none of these runes resembled anything I'd seen from devils. The circles were dull now, their power spent, but I could sense the residual energy. Whatever had been done here had required significant magical force. The magic seemed ritualistic.
I moved deeper into the shrine, my skin crawling with each step. The back room was smaller and more intimate. A stone basin sat in the center, surrounded by runed stones that looked ancient—far older than the shrine itself.
The basin was empty. Completely dry. But the stones around it were cracked, their runes flickering weakly.
"Observe."
{Minor Tokyo Leyline Node (Drained and Defiled)
Status: CRITICAL
This leyline node has been forcibly drained of its spiritual energy and corrupted with old demonic power. The damage is severe. Natural recovery will take decades. Immediate intervention required to prevent corruption of the connected leyline network.}
My blood ran cold.
This wasn't just a massacre. This was deliberate and served a greater purpose. The grotesque violence was likely a mere by-product. Someone—or something—had attacked this shrine specifically to drain the leyline. The Tengu guards probably never stood a chance.
But why? What could anyone gain from draining a minor leyline node?
Unless...
I thought back to the information I'd gathered about the supernatural world. Leylines were connected, forming a network across Japan. They housed great sources of power, even minor ones. Draining a minor one could likely provide a massive power boost if harnessed. I knew most, especially in Japan, were controlled by the Youkai faction. Hence the Tengu.
Japan had two major leylines, the biggest of which was in Kyoto. Some books about the supernatural Rias gave me were proving quite helpful. The leader of the Youkai in Kyoto controlled and monitored the major leyline.
I looked at the faces of the deceased all around me. What if they were planning to do something similar there…
"Fuck."
I pulled out my phone, my hands shaking slightly as I opened the camera app. I had seen individual mutilated bodies, yes, but this was on a different scale, and it was getting to me.
I needed documentation. Evidence. This was way beyond my pay grade to handle, but Rias and Sona needed to know. The entire supernatural community of Japan needed to know.
I took photos of everything. The magic circles. The basin. The runed stones. The bodies. I forced myself to be thorough, to capture every angle, every detail, even as my stomach churned with revulsion. Even the eyes and beaks of the new ceiling decor. I had no way of knowing what part was ritual and what part was pure sadistic evil.
When I was done, I stood there for a moment, looking at the carnage around me. These Tengu had died protecting this place. They'd been overwhelmed, slaughtered, and then desecrated. Used as fuel for whatever ritual had drained the leyline.
And I had a sinking feeling this wasn't an isolated incident.
As I hurried out of the shrine to finish taking pictures, I felt a flicker of life on my energy sense. I'd usually mark it off as a small animal, but not in this circumstance. I immediately followed the source. I found it about 200 feet away from the shrine, far enough away to not become demon food, apparently. Because I found a Tengu.
Looking at the branches, it must have fallen after battling. I rushed to his side. The muscular-looking raven Youkai grunted in pain. I kneeled down, checking over him. The left part of his face was gone, his beak shattered. His right arm had been torn off, and there was a large hole in his belly. I could see crimson blades of grass poking out of it.
"Hey, I'm here. The demons are gone." I tried to offer what little comfort I could. His wounds were grievous. He wouldn't live but a few more minutes at best. It wouldn't have even mattered if he was my first stop when I got here.
He gurgled on some blood before his voice whimpered out.
"There were… too many," *cough* "I tried, to defend…" I could see the anguish in his eyes. It wasn't from the pain.
"I tried… my duty… as a Youkai…" *cough*
"My brothers…" he looked toward me with desperation in his eyes. I grimaced, and slowly shook my head. Red tears streamed down his face.
"Tell Yasaka… Kenji fought… to the death… for the Youk—" he didn't finish his statement. I gently placed my hand on his chest, closing his lifeless eyes with my other hand.
"I'll tell her, Kenji."
For some reason, his desperate last words bothered me far more than the atrocity I had just discovered. I barely registered the lone tear that streamed down my face.
I stood. I didn't have time to bury him. I had to report this as quickly as possible. I loathed to think this could be happening at other shrines.
I gripped Shinjūka and launched myself into the air, channeling everything I had into Runic Shunpo. The landscape blurred beneath me as I rocketed toward Kuoh, my mind racing.
This was big. Potentially catastrophic. If someone was systematically draining and desecrating leylines across Japan, the implications were staggering. A leyline-empowered opponent or army could be brewing. The balance of power between factions, the territorial agreements, the entire supernatural infrastructure of Japan could collapse.
And somehow, I'd stumbled right into the middle of it.
I pushed harder, the wind screaming past my ears. Rias needed to know. Sona needed to know. Hell, Sirzechs and the entire Devil hierarchy needed to know.
Because if this was what I thought it was—if this was the Old Demon Faction making their move—then we were all in serious trouble. Ghom might have just been the beginning.
The tears stopped somewhere midway to Kuoh.
The recipes in my inventory suddenly seemed incredibly trivial.
XXX
Rias POV
"Magical girl Levia-tan on the scene!"
I couldn't help but smile as Serafall made her dramatic entrance, complete with a twirl and that signature catchphrase. She stood there in her magical girl costume—pink wand in hand, frilly skirt swishing—looking completely out of place among the serious faces in the ORC clubroom.
My smile faded quickly, however, as I remembered why we were all gathered here. Toshio's photographs had been... disturbing, to say the least. The images of slaughtered Tengu, the desecrated shrine, the drained leyline—they painted a picture of calculated savagery that made even my brother's expression turn grave.
"Serafall," Sirzechs acknowledged with a nod. "Thank you for coming so quickly."
"Of course!" she replied, her cheerful demeanor shifting to something more serious as she surveyed the room. Her eyes landed on Sona, and in an instant, she was across the room, pulling my friend into a suffocating hug. "Sona-chan! I've missed you so much!"
"Onee-sama," Sona gasped, her face squished between her sister's ample cleavage. Serafall was rubbing her cheek on Sona's head, messing up her hair.
I watched the display with a mixture of amusement and sympathy. Sona's relationship with her sister was complicated—much like my own with Sirzechs, though in very different ways. Where my brother was overprotective but generally respectful of my boundaries, Serafall showed her love through overwhelming physical affection that left Sona perpetually embarrassed.
Sirzechs cleared his throat. "Serafall, this is serious." Serafall, not releasing Sona, gave him a side eye.
"And I seriously love my sister." Sona looked like she was about to cry from embarrassment. I had to struggle to not laugh, despite the situation.
Serafall, seeing my brothers serious glare, finally relented, reluctantly releasing her sister.
Clearing his throat again, Sirzechs drew everyone's attention back to the matter at hand.
"We have a situation that requires the attention of the Director of Interdimensional Affairs," my brother said, his tone formal but urgent.
"I gathered that much from your message," Serafall replied, her childlike persona dropping away to reveal the Satan beneath. Her eyes flickered to Toshio. "And who might this be?"
I watched as Toshio stepped forward, his composure impressive given that he was standing before two of the most powerful beings in the supernatural world. There was something different about him since he'd returned from his summer training, other than his very nice, developing bod— I prevented myself from finishing the thought.
"Toshio Amano," he introduced himself with a respectful bow. "It's an honor to meet you, Leviathan-sama."
Serafall's eyes lit up. "Oh, you're the one Sona-chan threw a tantrum about when he wouldn't join her peerage!"
"I did not throw a tantrum," Sona interjected immediately, her cheeks flushing pink. "I merely expressed disappointment at losing a valuable potential piece."
"You were stomping your feet and everything," Serafall stage-whispered to Toshio, loud enough for all of us to hear. "It was adorable."
Sona looked like she might die of embarrassment. I caught her eye and gave her a sympathetic smile, which she returned with a long-suffering look.
"I like you already," Serafall continued, addressing Toshio directly. "Anyone who makes my Sona-chan all flustered is good in my book." She leaned in conspiratorially. "Though I'm glad you rejected her. That means I get to keep her all to myself!"
"Onee-sama!" Sona protested, her face now approaching the color of my hair.
I bit back a smile. Even in the midst of this crisis, Serafall's antics provided a brief moment of levity. But as Toshio began setting up the projector to display his photographs, that moment quickly faded.
"I should warn you all," Toshio said, his voice growing somber, "these images aren't for the faint of heart."
I noticed his eyes briefly flick toward Koneko, and something in my chest warmed at his concern for her. Despite everything, despite the distance I'd tried to maintain between us this past month, he still cared for my peerage as if they were his own family.
The first image appeared on the screen, and the room fell silent.
The carnage was even worse projected large on the wall. Bodies torn apart, blood splattered across ancient wood, the deliberate positioning of limbs and heads—it was a tableau of horror that went beyond simple murder. It seemed ritualistic. Evil in its purest form.
I glanced around the room, gauging reactions. Kiba's face had hardened into a mask of controlled anger. Koneko had turned away, unable to look directly at the screen. She set her piece of candy down on the table, seemingly losing her appetite.
Akeno's usual playful demeanor had vanished completely, replaced by cold fury. Sona and Tsubaki analyzed the images with clinical detachment, though I could see the tension in their shoulders.
But it was my brother and Serafall whose reactions concerned me most. Sirzechs' power was leaking slightly, a crimson aura barely visible around him as he stared at the images. Grayfia placed a calming hand on his arm. Serafall's childish demeanor had completely disappeared, her eyes narrowed and calculating.
"I discovered this yesterday afternoon," Toshio explained, his voice steady despite the horrific images he was displaying. "I was returning from a trip to Honshu when I sensed a disturbance in the area's spiritual energy. What I found was... this."
He moved through the photographs methodically, explaining each one. The slaughtered Tengu guards. The demonic symbols drawn in blood. The drained leyline node. The runed stones, cracked and corrupted.
"This one," he said, pointing to an image of a creature with a large body and torn, leathery wings, "was still feeding when I arrived. I eliminated it immediately."
"A hellflyer," my brother said, his voice tight with controlled anger. "One of the common aerial soldiers from the old demon army."
The implications of that statement hung heavy in the air. If the old demon faction was involved, this was more than just a random attack. It was potentially the first move in a larger strategy.
"Those poor Tengu," Serafall said sorrowfully, her voice unusually quiet. Her usual childish affect completely gone now. "I'll need to contact the Youkai faction immediately. Yasaka-chan needs to know about this."
Toshio nodded. "There was one survivor when I arrived. A Tengu named Kenji. He... didn't make it, but his last words were asking me to tell Yasaka that he fought to the death for the Youkai."
The room fell silent again, a moment of respect for the fallen warrior. I found myself impressed yet again with Toshio's composure. To witness such horror firsthand, to hold a dying Youkai in his arms, and to still maintain his calm while reporting it—it spoke to a strength of character that went beyond physical power.
As Toshio continued explaining what he'd found, I found my thoughts drifting to how much he'd changed since we first met. The awkward, somewhat reserved boy who'd stumbled into our world had grown into a man who could stand before two Satans and report on a massacre without flinching. His training had clearly been effective, but there was something else there too—a deeper confidence, a sense of purpose.
"...which is why I thought it was important to bring this to your attention immediately," he was saying as my focus returned to his words. "If someone is systematically draining leylines, especially with old demon magic, the implications could be catastrophic."
Sirzechs nodded gravely. "You were right to come to us with this, Toshio-kun. This incident may be the harbinger of something dire in the near future. An omen of what's to come."
"I'm just glad I could help," Toshio replied. "If there's anything else I can do to assist the devil faction with this case, please let me know."
I could tell the event had bothered him deeply, even if he wasn't showing it overtly. I didn't blame him. The images were disturbing enough; I couldn't imagine seeing it all firsthand.
Inwardly, I hoped my brother was seeing Toshio in a better light after this. Grayfia too. They'd been skeptical of him, concerned about his growing power and his influence on me. Perhaps now they'd understand that he was an ally worth having—worth trusting.
"I'll accompany the Youkai to the shrine," Serafall said, her voice now fully that of a Satan rather than a magical girl. "They'll need support from our faction, especially if we're dealing with old demon activity."
Sirzechs nodded in agreement. "That's a good idea. I'll look into any demonic movements we might have missed within Japan. I'll inform Ajuka and Falbium as well. The other devil leadership needs to be made aware of this immediately."
It wasn't often I got to see this side of my brother—the serious, strategic Lucifer rather than my doting older sibling. He continued, his voice grim.
"I'll also have our scouts check the old demon fortresses, especially the Crater of Arreat. If any of them have been revived, we need to know."
I noticed something in my brother's eyes as he spoke about the old demon faction—a shadow, a memory of pain. I knew he'd fought in the previous war, but he rarely spoke of it. Whatever he'd witnessed then must have been terrible indeed for it to still affect him now.
He turned to me, his expression softening slightly. "Rias, I need you and your peerage to stay vigilant. Investigate anything suspicious in your territory, but do not engage if you suspect demon involvement. Report directly to me."
"Yes, Onii-sama," I replied, straightening my posture. In moments like these, I was acutely aware of the responsibility that came with being a Gremory, with being his sister.
With final farewells, Sirzechs, Grayfia, and Serafall departed via magic circles, leaving us to process what we'd just learned. The room felt strangely empty without their powerful presences.
Toshio sighed heavily, slumping onto one of the couches. The mask of composure he'd maintained throughout the meeting seemed to crumble now that the Satans were gone. His eyes looked distant, unfocused, as if seeing ghosts only he could perceive.
Akeno sat beside him immediately, pulling him into a gentle embrace. "Are you alright?" she asked softly.
"Not really," he admitted, his voice barely audible. "I'm not used to seeing that level of cruelty. That kind of evil."
I felt a pang in my chest, watching Akeno comfort him. Part of me wished it could be me sitting beside him, offering solace. But I'd created this distance between us, maintained it even when he'd asked me to stop just the other day. I'd promised to try to be his friend again, but staying just friends was much easier said than done. I knew my heart desired more than that.
"That Tengu," he continued, his voice hollow. "Kenji. He was still alive when I found him, barely hanging on. His last thoughts weren't for himself—they were for his comrades, for his duty."
"There was nothing you could have done," Akeno assured him, stroking his hair gently. "You couldn't have saved them."
"I know," he replied. "That's what bothers me the most."
The vulnerability in his voice, the raw honesty of his pain—it made my heart ache. In that moment, I wanted to comfort him too, to tell him that he'd done everything he could. Instead, I watched as Akeno filled that role, her gentle hands and soft words easing some of the tension from his shoulders.
I realized I was staring and quickly averted my gaze, turning to address the rest of my peerage. "Everyone should be on high alert. If my brother is concerned about this, then the situation is serious indeed."
"President," Kiba spoke up, his voice calm but his eyes hard with determination, "do you think we should increase our patrols around Kuoh? If they're targeting leylines, there are several minor nodes within our territory."
I nodded, grateful for his focus. "Yes, that's a good idea. We'll work with Sona's peerage to ensure full coverage."
Koneko gave a small nod, her eyes still averted from the screen where the last of Toshio's horrific photographs remained displayed. I moved to turn it off, wanting to spare her any further distress. She was still young after all.
As we began discussing patrol schedules and communication protocols, I couldn't help but glance occasionally at Toshio. He was listening, but that faraway look remained in his eyes. Whatever he'd seen at that shrine had shaken him deeply, at least deeper than anything else I had seen.
When the meeting concluded and everyone began to disperse, I found myself approaching him as Akeno stepped away briefly to speak with Koneko.
"Thank you," I said quietly, standing before him. "For bringing this to our attention. For doing what you did."
He looked up at me, surprise briefly flashing across his face before he offered a small smile. "Just doing what needed to be done."
"No," I shook my head, "most humans would have run from what you found. You documented everything, you confronted that demon, you comforted a dying Tengu. That's not just doing what needed to be done. That's... bravery."
Something shifted in his expression then—a softening around the eyes, a lessening of the tension in his jaw. "Thank you, Rias. That means a lot coming from you."
The way he said my name made my heart flutter in a way I'd been trying desperately to suppress. I was about to respond when Akeno returned, sliding her arm through his.
"Ready to go home?" she asked him. "I think you could use some rest after all this."
"Yeah," he agreed, standing. "I could definitely use some sleep."
I stepped back, allowing them space. "Take care of yourself, Toshio. And again, thank you."
As they left, Akeno leading him gently toward the door, I felt that familiar ache in my chest. The one I'd been trying to ignore since summer break ended. Since I'd decided to create distance between us for both our sakes.
I took a deep breath and returned to my desk. I still had to go over our devil contracts for tomorrow.